Pneumatic pump



G. M. RUSSELL.

PNEUMATIC PUMP.

APPLlCATlO N FILED APR. 19. 1916.

Patented June 8, 1920.

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PNEUMATIC PUMP.

APPLICATION man APR. 1-9. 1916.

Patented June 8, 1920-.

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I 6' Patented June 8, 192() 5 HEET$-SHEET 3.

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.PNEUMATIC PUMP.

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PNEUMATIC PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. I916.

1,343,004. Patented June 8, 1920.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

' GUY :M. RUSSELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,-'ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN PIANO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PNEUMATIC PUMP.

5 1 05 2 itmay 06mm.

,Be it kn' wn that I, GUY MANLY RUSSELL,

a citizen of the United *States, a n d a resident of Rochester, county of Monroe, and State produce a compact apparatus which fshall;

be practically silent in operation.

The 'char'acter of the invention may be r'eadilyunderstood by reference to one illuse trative embodiment shown in the accom panying drawings, in which 20 Figure 1 is a plan view of the illustrative pump and an electric motor for driving the same;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the pump and motor; '2

Fig. 3 is a detailed section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the pumping mechanism with the front wall of the pump case removed to expose the parts behind the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and also having other parts shown in section for con venience in description. The plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 is also indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 5 is a detailed section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4-;

Fig. 6 is a detailed section on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detailed section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a detailed section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fi 8;

Fig. 10 is a detail of the obverse side of the valve plate more fully described hereinafter;

Fig. 11 is a view of the reverse of the plate shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-1-2 of Fig. 10.

Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a pumping mechanism inclosed in a casing 20 and provided with a sheave 21 which is connected by a belt 22 with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19,

Patented June 8, 1920. 191 Serial No. 92,102.

driving sheave of an electric motor 23. For the. purposes of the specific apparatus it is preferable that both the pump and motor be so mounted that all or substantially all of the vibration of the parts will be absorbed so as to render the apparatus as a whole silent in operation. The mounting of the parts is well illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8, and will be more fully described hereinafter. I

The casing 20 for the pump is provided with a removable front wall 25 (Figs. 1 and 2); and Fig, '4 shows the parts when this front wall-25 is removed. The front wall 25 is also shown in Fig.8.

Referring to Fig. 8, the sheave 21 is fixed upon a shaft 28 mounted, preferably in ball bearings, ina casting 29 constituting the rear wall of the pumping casing. The shaft 28 carries a crank arm 30 upon which is rotatably mounted a wrist plate 31 shown in front elevation in Fig. 4. As the shaft 28 is rotated by the drive of the electric motor, the wrist plate 31 is rotated to drive the pump bellows next described.

Theillustrative apparatus, arranged for the purposes of an exhaust pump, comprises four pumping bellows 35, 36, 37 and 38. The respective said bellows have pivotally connected to them the links 39, 40, 41 and 42, which are also all pivotally connected with the wrist plate 31 so that in the rotation of the wrist plate the several pumping bellows are collapsed and expanded in succession as will be understood by those skilledin the art.

Referring to Fig. 4, the bellows 36 is shown in fully expanded position just as it is about to begin its collapsing movement; the bellows 37 is shown in an intermediate position, during the course of its collapsing movement; the bellows 38 is shown in fully collapsed position just as it is about to begin its expanding movement; and the bellows 35 is shown in intermediate position during-the course of its expanding movement. The wrist plate 31 is rotated in a contracloekwise direction (Fig. 4).

The four pumping bellows 35, 26, 3'7 and 38 may be substantially alike and a description of the details of one will sufiice for all. The movable board of each bellows is provided (see Fig. 4) with ports 45, 45, normally covered by a flap valve 46 (see Fig. 7). When the bellows is expanding the flap valve to exert anelastic p'ull upon the flap valve or rarefaction in, the chamber 60.

46 effectually closes the ports-; but when is fixed to the bellows board by a screw 47; and the opposite end of the flap passes under j a I staple-shaped bridge 48 which serves to maintain the proper ahnement of the flap and to prevent its being removed too r a a di a c from. the valve P r s.- Av

small has; a' ao*\vnmmea end '50 engaging the extreme end of the flap valve l6, and the op osite end 'of the spring engages the bridge 48,+the" spring tending to liold, it'stretched smoothly over the valve ports 45;" y r .Eaeh bellows is pro'vid ed with a second flap valve 52 shown on an enlarged's'ca'le in igs. 1O, 11 and 12. This valve comprises a leather or similar preferably flexible body portion 52 fixed at one end by af fpin .53 to a valve plate 54. The flap 52 hasin its slits 55 55; and the eiid of flap p osite the pin 53 passes under a brilge'56 .aii d isjpi ovided with a V spring 57 o'ne'end of which engages the bridge 56 and the other end of which engages'j-the flap, tending'to hold the'latter flat and undertension to hold the valve ports, normally closed. The valve plate .54 is pro-1 vided with a plurality of. ports 58, 58. The slits. 55, 55 ofthe valve flap. are so disposed relatively; to the ports58, 58' in the valve plate 54:, that when air is drawn into the bellows, it is drawn through the several ports 58 and through the slits 55, 55, and also past the lateral edges of the flap 52. The described arrangement substantially minimizes the areas of the valve openings in the plate 58 while at-the same time it provides ample passageway for the air, the result being that the force necessary to pluck the valve flapfrom its closed position, and

.the noise made in so plucking it, are substantially minimized; and. also the pull upon the valve flap, tending: to seat it noisily, is minimized. As shown in Fig. 8, each valve plate 5.4 isseatedin a chamber 60 and covers the port leading from said chaanber to the interior pf the appropriate bellows. The effect of the expanding of the bellows is to suck air from its chamber 60 past the flap 52 and thereby to create a condition of exhaust 7 Each chamber 60iis provided with a series ofoutlet ports 62 .whiclr communicate. with corresponding ports- 63 in the removable front wall 25 the casing; and all of the ports 63 communicate with: an annular chamber 65 formedin the interior of the front wall 25.

I Thus, air is exhausted by all of the bellows from the common chamber 65 through the ports 63 and 62 and thence past the respective interior flap valve 52- of the several belsT v -e L QQtr lows. The chamber 60 for one of the bellows (for the bellows 36 as illustrated) opens into a second. chamber 66ihavi1rg-lone or more wind trunks' 67, GS-lea'ding to the pneumatic actions. For instance, if the! pneumatic action is divided into treble and bass divisions, the trunk 67 may lead to the treble and the trunk 68 may leadto thegba'ss,

The ports 62, 63 provide an open passageway from the-chamber 66 and the chamber 60 to the chamber 65 which is common to the various bellows so that the-eihaust irqmth'e main-chamber 66 is produced byan of; the bellows conjointl pp p a i'y emeteri S i pa 0 :1. the exhaust system describm i'iby being connected with thechamberGO for the bel j lows 35 as shownin 70. Q4; passage 71 60 (Fig.4) andis c devious channel 72, with a peaks opening Fig./l-,'is a r ce ver "t iechani'ber into the interior'bfjtlie reservoir 70 'A p -e:

ferred arraiig enient'iof the passage showninllig. s ale ails th ingp'ro'vided witiia series serve to minimize the. noisem connected directly -with the chamber 65 which is commonto all the" bellows serves preferably mounted upon a screw-thread edstem 81 whichprojects into the interior' of the reservoir 70 in position to ;abut, against the stationary board, of the reservoir and forcibly openthe valve if the res-' ervoir is too far collapsed by an extreme degree of exhaust therein. ,Thevalve SOi is located in a valve box f and seats against a partition 82. Between the partition'fand the movable board of the -re's ei'voir, ,is-a preferably porous body 83'o'f some,- such Illaterial as felt, which :contributes'to mulile the sound of air admitted tothegreservoirduring operation. The cov.er ofthe V320 box contains another body 84 of prefers. porous material such as felt, which serves additionally to mufile the noise of admitted.

air. A spring 85 tends normally to hold the valve 80 seated In the operation of the described. appa ratus, the rotation of the wrist plate. 31 expands the several, pumping bellows successi-vely so that in succession they-exhaust from their common chamber 65 in the front:

wall of the casing, and therethroughfroin the chamber 66 which is connecte'd wi'th the pneumatic action. The reservoir 70 being connected as described with the common.

acted by prefera ly.

is com usag .1. wh h dQ Y-th movement of "the air through the passage 72,, The ehamb'er 60, for the bellows 35 being.

chambers 65 and 66, maintains va substantially uniform pressure therein.

Referring again to Fig. 8, the front wall 25 of the casing is shown as provided with a removable gate 90 in the form of a disk having secured thereto a thick pad 91 of preferably porous material such as felt. Holes 92 are provided in the plate 90 to permit theescape of air which filters through the felt 91 from the interior of the casing. The casing completely inclosesall of the bellows 35,36, 37 and 38 and their connected parts except for the outlet through the felt 91 and the holes 92. With such an inclosure of the bellows, there is a tendency to produce some compression of the air within the casing but this filters noiselessly out through the felt 91. The parts being inclosed, the noise made by the various flap valves in the comparatively rapid operation of the apparatus, is practically completely muflled.

Another characteristic of the illustrative apparatus which contributes to minimize the noise of its operation, pertains to the construction and mode of operation of the wrist plate 31 and the parts connected thereto, as next described. The wrist plate 31 is rotatably mounted upon the crank arm 30 and is also only pivotally connected to the pins for the several links 39, 40, 41 and 42. Each of the links 39, 40, 41 and 42 is so disposed that in one rotation of the crank arm 30,"the links oscillate through equal angles on opposite sides of their dead center positions between their pivot on the bellows and the axis of thecrank arm.

It is Well understood in the art that when a pumping bellows terminates its collapsing movement and starts to expand, the exterior flap valve of the bellows (e. 9., the flap valve 46) tends to seat suddenly and makes a loud and objectionable slapping noise. In the present illustrative construction, however, when a bellows startsto expand, 2'. e. at the time when the slapping noise of the exterior flap valve ordinarily occurs,--the operating link of that particular bellows occupies approximately its dead center position midway between the extremes of its oscillation, and therefore the initial expanding movement which ensues as the link begins to move from this dead center position, takes place at minimum speed and consequently the reseating of the exterior flap valve is effected at minimum speed and the slapping noise is thereby substantially reduced. Referring to Fig. 4, the bellows 38 is shown at substantially the moment of starting its expanding movement. Obviously the contraclockwise movement of the wrist plate 31 just preceding the position shown, has served merely to move the link 42 slightly past its dead center position with minimum ifany effect upon the bellows 38, wherefore the flap valve 46 of said bellows 38 has been allowed time to seat itself practically noiselessly.

Although the described disposition of the parts tends so to ease the rese'ating of the exterior flap valves as to minimize the'noise caused thereby, there isa further reduction, practically an elimination of the noise of reseating these valves, producedby a pecul iar intermittent reverse rotation of the wrist plate 31 about to be described.

Referring again to Fig. 4, it will be noted that just as the bellows38, in the position shown, starts its expanding movement, the bellows 35 is at substantially the middle stage in its expanding movement, and its link 39 stands at substantially the lowermost extreme of its oscillation,in other words, in a position to exert its maximum pull (by reason of the most favorable leverage) on the wrist plate 31. At the same time the link 42 of the bellows 38 is at or nearly at its dead center-position, and, therefore, has the least favorable leverage in respect to the crank arm 31.- The resistance of the bellows 35 and the bellows 38 to expansion is, of course, greater than the resistance to collapse offered by the bellows 36 and 37 and, therefore, the bellows 35 acting through its favorable leverage exerts such a pull upon the wrist plate 31 as to rotate it slightly in a clockwise direction so that the linkof the bellows 38 is held for a substantial interval in or practically in its dead center position and until, in the continued rotation of the crank ar1n,carrying the plate 31, the link 39 of the bellows 35 reaches substantially its dead center position upon completing the expanding movement of the bellows 35; thus just at the time when the bellows 38 starts to expand and tends to make the loudest slapping noise by reseatingits exterior flap valve 46, the slight reverse rotation of the wrist plate-31 caused by theresistance of the bellows 35, delays the effective pull of the wrist plate upon the link 42 and thereby allows a maximum period of time for'the flap valve 46 of the bellows 38 to reseat itself easily and noiselessly. Once the exterior flap valve is seated, it thereafter lies flat upon the movable board of the pneumatic and no further cause for noise is encountered.

It will be understood that the described cooperation between the bellows 35 and the bellows 38 is duplicated in the cooperation of successive pairs of bellows throughout the series and for this reason the movement of the wrist plate 31 is marked'by a succession of apparently jerky steps of reverse rotation as the described retarding effect shifts from one pair of bellows to the next. I 7

Referring now to the manner in which the motor and pumping mechanism are mounted,--both are preferably mounted upon a common base 100 (see Figs. 2 and 1). The casing for the pump mechanism has its own baseplate 101 which, as shown in Fig. 3, is countersunk in a recess formed in the base 100, said recess being lined by a layer 102 of felt or the like. The base plate 101 is provided with elongated slots 103, 104:, which receive screws 105 having thumb nuts engaging the upper face of the base plate 101. The elongation of the slots permits the base plate 101 and the pumping mechanism carried thereby to be adjusted toward and from the motor to regulate the tension of the belt Such slight vibration as takes place in the pumping mechanism is sutficiently absorbed by the felt or other lining or packing 102.

The motor 23 is mounted upon a base plate 100 seated upon a bed 107 of felt or the like; and the base plate 106 is held in place by bridges 108 and 109, layers 110 of felt being interposed between the base plate 106 and the bridges to absorb the vibration. A block 111 abuts against a part of the base plate 100 and is held in adjusted position by a clamping screw 112 passing through an elongated slot in said block. Thus the block 111 may be adjusted to assist in determining the tension of the belt 22.

The described illustrative construction constitutes a very compact power unit for musical instruments such as automatic player-pianos; and the same may be readily inserted into the bottom of an upright piano of the ordinary dimensions. lVhen so located, the apparatus in this unit form is capable of developing and maintaining a high degree of suction, by a practically noiseless operation, the silence of operation being, of course, an extremely important consideration in power plants for playerpianos, wherein the resonant character of the construction of the instrument tends to magnify whatever sounds are made in the operation of the power apparatus. Furthermore, in the described construction, the necessary degree of exhaust is readily pro' duced by the use of a low powered electric motor; and the motor itself by the described mounting, is rendered substantially noiseless in operation. Obviously a new construction such as that described is particularly convenient for installation in pianos and the like because it may be assembled separately from the piano and all of the parts adjusted to their proper relations and then the whole may be installed by a single operation. Various other advantages in details of construction and organization will appear to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction, organization and mode of operation hereinbefore described for illustration; on the contrary the invention may be variously embodied and the particular construction may be variously modified Within the scope of the sub-joined claims. It is not necessary that all of the features of the invention be employed conjointly, since they may be used separatelyto advantage in various combinations and sub-combinations.

I claim as my invention:

1. In exhaust apparatus for musical instruments, the combination of a number of bellows connected to a common exhaust chamber, each provided with valves, and means for rendering the closing of the valves substantially silent.

2. In exhaust apparatus for musical instruments, the combination of bellows pro vided with valves with means for render ing the closing of the valves substantially silent, such means comprising retarding devices for the valves, operative upon the closing stroke thereof.

3. In a pneumatic pumping mechanism for musical instruments the combination with a driven shaft of a plurality of bellows radially disposed about the axis of said shaft and adapted to be expanded successively by the rotation of said shaft: means connecting the movable board of each of said bellows with a crank arm upon said shaft; valves for said bellows; and means to render the operation of said valves substantially silent by retarding the opening of each said bellows successively.

4. In a pneimiatic pumping mechanism for musical instruments the combination with a driven shaft of a plurality of bellows radially disposed about the axis of said shaft and adapted to be expanded successively by the rotation of said shaft; valves for said bellows: a crank arm upon said shaft and a wrist plate loosely mounted thereon; connecting links for each of said bellows pivoted to the movable boards thereof and the said wrist plate; and means to impart an intermittent reverse rotation to said wrist plate to delay the opening of each said bellows successively and thereby render the operation of said valves substantially silent.

5. In a pneumatic pumping mechanism for musical instruments the combination with a driven shaft of a plurality of bellows radially disposed about the axis of said shaft and adapted to be expanded successively by the rotation of said shaft; inlet and outlet valves for each'of said bellows; a crank arm mounted upon said shaft; means connecting said crank arm with each of said bellows; and means to retard normal opening movement of each of said bellows successively thereby to retard the closing of said outlet valves and quiet the operation thereof.

6. In apneumatic pumping mechanism for musical instruments the combination with a driven shaft of a plurality of bellows radially disposed about the axis of said shaft and adapted'to be expanded successively by the rotation of said shaft; a flap valve mounted upon the movable board of each of said bellows; meansconnecting said movable boards with a crank arm upon said shaft; and means to retard the opening of each of said bellows to permit said flap valves to close before the normal opening speed is attained thereby to minimize the noise of operation thereo 7. In a pneumatic pumping mechanism for musical instruments the combination with a driven shaft of four bellows radially disposed about the axis of said shaft and adapted to be expanded successively by the rotation of said shaft; a crank arm upon said shaft; a member loosely mounted upon a crank pin of said crank arm; links pivoted to the movable board of each of said bellows and pivoted to said last named member at points equidistant from the axis of the crank pin, whereby the connecting links are successively held out of alinement with the crank pin upon the opening of each said bellows by the action of one of the other bellows. v

8. A pneumatic pumping mechanism for musical instruments comprising, in combination, a plurality of bellows; a common wind chest operatively connected to each of said bellows; a driven shaft; means connecting the movable board of each of said bellows to the driven shaft to cause the bellows to exhaust air from the common wind chest; a housing inclosing said bellows; means providing an opening in said housing; and sound mufiling means comprising a body of fibrous material located in said opening and through which substantially all the air is expelled from said housing in the lows to exhaust air from the common wind chest; a regulator connected by a passage to said common wind chest; and means for retarding the transmission of sound through the air in said passage comprising a plurality of cells in the walls of said passage, said cells being so disposed that the flow of air through said passage is unrestricted thereby.

10. A pumping mechanism for musical instruments comprising, in combination, a plurality of bellows adapted to exhaust air from a common wind chest; bellows operating means; and means to govern the degree of exhaust in said common wind chest including a valve governing a port to atmosphere, and valve operating means to open said valve when a predetermined degree of exhaust has been established in said common wind chest.

11. A pumping mechanism for musical instruments comprising, in combination, a plurality of bellows adapted to exhaust air from a common wind chest; bellows operating means; and means to govern the degree of exhaust in said common wind chest including a bellows, a spring tending to expand said bellows, a valve controlling a port to atmosphere, and means to open said valve upon partial collapse of said bellows.

12. A pumping mechanism for musical instruments comprising, in combination, a plurality of bellows adapted to exhaust air from a common wind chest;bellows operat ing means; and means to govern the degree of exhaust in said common wind chest, including a bellows connected to said common wind chest, a spring tending to open said bellows, a valve controlling an atmosphere port, means to open said valve upon partial collapse of said bellows, and means to muffle the sound of air admittedthrough said atmosphere port. I

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 14: day of April, 1916. I

GUY M. RUSSELL.

Witnesses;

PHILLIP I-I. CoMMERroRD, MAX V. GRAVES. 

